The Netherlands secured their first victory under Xavi Hernández on Sunday after Mexx Meerdink scored twice to inspire a hard-fought 2-1 win over Serbia in the UEFA Nations League at the Stadion Rajko Mitić in Belgrade.
The victory gave Xavi his first three points as Netherlands head coach after his opening match ended in a 1-1 draw against Germany three days earlier. It also moved the Oranje to four points from their opening two Group A2 matches.
Meerdink emerged as the decisive figure in a match that demanded patience and resilience from the visitors. The AZ Alkmaar forward, who was brought into the squad as a late replacement following injuries to several attacking players, delivered his first senior international goals in impressive fashion.
Serbia started brightly and could have taken the lead inside the opening 20 minutes. In the 17th minute, Dejan Joveljić found himself unmarked inside the Dutch penalty area, but his effort went straight at goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen, who made the save.
The Netherlands were dealt another setback moments later when Cody Gakpo was forced off with an injury. The Liverpool forward, who had scored the Netherlands’ stoppage-time equaliser against Germany in Xavi’s first game, could not continue and was replaced by Ruben van Bommel in the 17th minute.
The physical nature of the contest had already become apparent before Gakpo’s departure. Serbia midfielder Saša Lukić was booked in the 12th minute for a late challenge on the Dutch winger, with the tackle leaving Gakpo unable to continue.
Despite the setback, the Netherlands gradually took control of possession and began creating more openings.
Their pressure paid off in the 30th minute when Crysencio Summerville broke into the Serbian penalty area before being brought down by Aleksa Terzić. The referee pointed to the spot, giving the visitors a golden opportunity to take the lead.
Meerdink showed no hesitation. The young striker stepped up and calmly sent his penalty into the bottom-right corner, giving the Netherlands a 1-0 lead and scoring his first goal for the senior national team.
The Oranje nearly doubled their advantage before the interval. Denzel Dumfries was played through brilliantly by Meerdink and found himself with a promising opportunity from a tight angle, but Serbia goalkeeper Vanja Milinković-Savić stood tall to deny him.
Serbia responded immediately after the restart, with Luka Jović introduced at half-time. The experienced forward needed less than a minute to make his presence felt.
In the 46th minute, Serbia created chaos inside the Netherlands penalty area. Verbruggen produced two saves during the move, denying Jović and Andrija Živković, but the ball eventually fell kindly for Jović after Saša Lukić’s scuffed effort. The former Real Madrid striker reacted quickly, finishing from close range to make it 1-1.
The equaliser briefly shifted momentum towards the hosts, but the Netherlands refused to retreat.
Van Bommel came close to restoring the visitors’ advantage when his bouncing effort struck the post, adding another dramatic moment to an increasingly open second half. Ryan Gravenberch also tested Milinković-Savić from distance, although the Serbian goalkeeper was able to make the save.
Xavi’s substitutions eventually produced the breakthrough.
In the 69th minute, substitute Guus Til supplied Meerdink, who showed excellent composure inside the area before sliding a left-footed finish into the bottom corner. The strike completed Meerdink’s brace and restored the Netherlands’ lead at 2-1.
Serbia pushed hard for another equaliser in the closing stages. Jović came close again in the 78th minute when he met a Dušan Tadić corner with a header, but the effort narrowly missed the far post.
The Netherlands managed the final stages effectively and held on for a valuable away victory.
The statistics reflected the visitors’ control. The Netherlands enjoyed around 67 percent possession and registered 25 shots compared with Serbia’s 11, while eight of their attempts were on target. Serbia managed four efforts on target. The Dutch also completed more than 600 passes during the contest, underlining their dominance in possession.
For Xavi, the result represents an important early milestone in his Netherlands tenure. After earning a draw against Germany in his first match, the former Barcelona coach now has a victory to build on as he attempts to establish his playing philosophy with the Oranje.
For Meerdink, however, the night belonged to him. After being given an unexpected opportunity because of injuries in the Dutch attack, the AZ striker responded with two goals in Belgrade and helped deliver Xavi’s first win.
The Netherlands will now turn their attention to Greece, with the Oranje carrying four points from their first two Nations League matches and growing confidence under their new coach.
